Police arrest man in Lufkin Mall for violating his probation

Police officers arrested a Diboll man in the Lufkin Mall again for violating his probation after he was arrested in April in connection to an ongoing 2010 Diboll drug sting.

Phillip Wayne Armstead, 52, was originally charged with four counts of delivery of a controlled substance. Now, he could have his probation revoked.

Det. Norman Williams said he and Det. Brandan Lovell began investigating Armstead in 2010 and had undercover informants buy crack cocaine from him on four different occasions.

He was one of the first ones arrested in an undercover drug investigation involving 16 suspects and 30 warrants.

Williams said after Armstead was arrested on drug charges in April, he bonded out before he could be served with another warrant for violating his probation because he was on probation when police said undercover informants bought crack cocaine from him.

Police had been looking for him until Tuesday afternoon when a tip came in that Armstead was at the Lufkin Mall.

If he's found guilty on all the charges, he faces up to life in prison.

Diboll Police still need the public's help rounding up the final suspect in the massive drug sting. Oather Spencer III, goes by "Roo." He is a black male, six feet tall, 185 pounds. He has brown eyes and police believe "Roo" is tattooed on his stomach.

In the wake of an incident in which the driver of a Ford Explorer allegedly almost backed into a Lufkin PD patrol unit while he was fleeing a traffic stop Monday afternoon, the police department will be seeking a warrant for his arrest.

In the wake of an incident in which the driver of a Ford Explorer allegedly almost backed into a Lufkin PD patrol unit while he was fleeing a traffic stop Monday afternoon, the police department will be seeking a warrant for his arrest.